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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28238001">Watling Street</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Froggy1988/pseuds/Froggy1988'>Froggy1988</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Cassarian Advent Calendar 2020 [22]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (Cartoon)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Historical, Angst, Cassarian Advent Calender 2020 (Disney), Celts, F/M, The Romans, day 22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 17:15:05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,086</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28238001</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Froggy1988/pseuds/Froggy1988</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Cassandra has been given a special task by Boudicca, see that the Roman's special weapon, the man with the mark in his hair, is not at their next battle.</p><p>  A Celts Vs Roman's AU, where Cassandra is a Celtic warrior in Boudicca's army, and Varian is a Roman soldier.</p><p>  Rated mature for passing mentions of violence and human sacrifice.</p><p>  Day 22 of the Cassarian Advent Calendar</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Cassandra/Varian (Disney: Tangled)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Cassarian Advent Calendar 2020 [22]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2035303</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Watling Street</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Rated mature for the suggestion of violence and human sacrifice. Oh, and some of the characters are already dead, that’s mentioned in the fic too.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>  It was just them, in the roundhouse, the fire flickering up between them, the flames almost the same colour of the hair of the woman in front of her. Cassandra felt honoured to be in this woman’s presence, honoured that Boudicca knew her name, and had picked her out as one of her strongest warriors. This woman, who had burnt Londinium and Verulamium to the ground. This warrior woman who defied the Romans, had picked Cassandra for glory.</p><p>   “I need somebody subtle, somebody who can work in the dark without being seen.” Boudicca said.<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>  “I can do that.” Cassandra answered.  “I have eyes in the sky.”<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>  “I heard about your trained owl; very resourceful I wish we had more like you.”<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>  Cassandra felt a rising pride, she was finally getting the recognition she had been wanting, and from the woman who had united the Celtic tribes.</p><p>  “My intelligence has heard rumours for a while that the Roman’s have a secret weapon, but we’ve only just figured out what it is.”</p><p>  “You need me to destroy the weapon? What is it a catapult?”<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>  “No, it’s a person, a Roman soldier to be clear. He’s being kept guarded in a tent in their Watling street camp.”</p><p>  “A person?”<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>  “He’s very distinctive, he has a black hair with a greyish bluish stripe.”</p><p>  “Is it the mark of a magician?”</p><p>  “Perhaps. You should take a protective charm, here…” Boudicca removed a golden knot broach from her cape. Cassandra’s hands shook as she reached out and took it.  </p><p>  “It’ll protect you.”<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>  “Thank you.”<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>  “Cassandra, it’s important that this solider is not in the battle tomorrow. I saw a single magpie this morning.”<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>  “A single magpie.” Cassandra said her eyes widening at the mention of the omen.</p><p>  “Yes, and you know what a bad sign that is this close to a battle.”<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>  “Don’t worry, you can trust me my Queen.”</p><p>  Boudicca took a stick and started drawing out a design in the dirt of the hut.</p><p>  “This is the layout of the camp.” She explained. “You’ll find the weapon here.”</p><p>  Cassandra nodded as she looked at the complicated design on the floor. With a little more information she was sure she’d be able to infiltrate the Roman camp.</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p>  Cassandra kept low as she stalked through the forest on soft silent feet. She could see the dark shapes of the tents and quickly erected wooden buildings of the camp. She could see more details in the circles of firelight that littered the camp, held aloft in metal biers. They're numbers were small in comparison with the Iceni and joined tribes. So far they had been decimating the Romans, but it was never wise to grow complacent, and if the Roman's had a new weapon up their sleeves then they might have gained an advantage. Not for much longer though, Cassandra thought to herself as she circled the camp. </p><p> </p><p>  Finally she saw what she had been looking for, the steps that led down underground, from the golden light shining upwards she could see the statue of the bull in the camber below, a shrine to Mithras. She looked to its left and saw the large square canvas tent that she knew contained the marked one. There were two guards stood near the entrance at the front, others circling every few minutes. It had been a mistake on the Roman’s part to put the tent so close to the treeline.  She only had to go unseen for a short distance and cut a gash inside the back wall of that tent and she would be able to get to their secret weapon. If she were stealthy enough to go without being seen she could do one better than a quick knife to the throat, she could dedicate her kill to the gods.</p><p> </p><p>  Owl swooped ahead giving a soft hoot. The coast was clear, though she had no idea what was awaiting her inside the tent, it was big enough to fit a dozen Romans, as long as she got the marked one it did not matter, she had been prepared to die for her people before, she was prepared now. She closed her eyes for a moment pressing her hand to the knot broach that Boudicca had given her.</p><p> </p><p>  “Heaven is on the side of a righteous vengeance.” She said as she pulled her father’s sword from its scabbard. “The God’s are on the side of a virtuous daughter orphaned.”<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>  She ran across the open space between her and the tent, her sword swiping upwards ripping through the oilskin. She ducked quickly through the opening.</p><p> </p><p>   “What the?” She heard a startled gasp.     </p><p> </p><p>  She took in the scene in front of her quickly, the large tent was full of bags of rocks, and a large square table covered glasses of various coloured bubbling liquids. So he was a magician she thought to herself, a potions master. The man who had spoken was in front of her, she automatically knew he was her target because of the mark in his hair. He was surveying her curiously, she rushed around the table, knowing that she had to take him out before he could raise the alarm.</p><p> </p><p>  “You okay in there Varian?”</p><p> </p><p>  Her eyes widened at the voice, the guards outside must have heard him. Could she take out him and the two guards before the rest of the camp was roused? She thought so, she’d been training for this since she was six.</p><p> </p><p>  “Yeah.” The man breathed.</p><p> </p><p>  That… was not what she expected, and for a moment she froze looking at the man (or rather boy) in front of her, really seeing him. One Roman soldier looked much like the others, they all wore the same strange uniform with the little leather skirts, but this one, he was smaller and skinnier than she would expect, and he looked too young to be serving in the Roman forces, he couldn’t be twenty, he didn’t even look like he grow facial hair.</p><p> </p><p>  “Hey Varian.” Came the call from outside. “Stanius asks if you want something from the supply wagons? He’s going over there?”<br/>
<br/>
</p><p> “I’m fine Petus.”</p><p> </p><p>  “Okay then.”<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>  Cassandra stood wearily watching the exchange, the boy’s blue eyes never left her for a moment. What was going on? Was she falling under a spell? Was he waiting for something, she had creeped into his tent with a sword, but maybe he had the upper hand. <em>Enough </em>She told herself stalking forwards, and without another thought she brought the hilt of her sword down on the back of the boys head. He dropped to the floor instantaneously, she bent to throw him over his shoulders and noticed for the first time that he was shackled by his ankle to the table. She sighed, why hadn’t she just killed him?</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>  She watched as he lay unconscious propped against a tree, the first rays of light coming over the hillside as he stirred for the first time. Something was making her feel uneasy, his strange behaviour in the tent, the way he was shackled, like a prisoner, not a soldier. She had to remind herself that he was dangerous, a Roman, and their secret weapon. Probably a mage or wizard or something of the like. Yet, it didn’t seem right, he didn’t look harmful. He looked, kind of weird with his mouth hanging open and a trail of drawl dribbling down his chin. Cassandra was a warrior, she had been a warrior long before she had joined forces with Boudicca and the Iceni. She had not had qualms about killing before, but then, she’d only ever killed in the heat of battle. She’s only ever killed armed soldiers, warriors, invaders, this sleeping kid, didn’t look like he could lift a sword.</p><p> </p><p>  Owl landed on a branch next to her and tilted his head to one side giving a questioning hoot.</p><p> </p><p>  “I am planning on killing him.” She answered. “He will answer for the crimes of his people.” She stood up staring down at the boy as he opened his eyes and groaned. He looked up at her, blinking a couple of time.</p><p> </p><p>  “Did you hit me over the head?”</p><p> </p><p>  “Yes.”<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>  “Why?”<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>  “I find people struggle less when they’re unconscious.”<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>  He pursed his lips.</p><p> </p><p>  “Well, I guess that’s true. What side are you on?”<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>  “What do you mean, what side am I on? I’m a celt.”</p><p> </p><p>  “Oh, well… it’s just you speak Latin, so I guessed that you might be like a double agent or something.”<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>  “One, my father taught me Latin so I could understand if your lot were trying to trick me. Two, why would a double agent kidnap you from your own camp?”<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>  “You really don’t understand Roman’s do you? There’s always several different plans going on at once.”<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>  “Enough talking, get up.”</p><p> </p><p>  She pulled him up from below his arm, he got to his feet and stumbled forwards , so she was forced to catch him, she’d tied his arms behind his back whilst he was unconscious, and it took him a moment to find his balance. Then she pointed to the trail through the forest and poked him in the back. He gave a sigh as he started walking.</p><p> </p><p>  “What are you anyways, a mage?” Cassandra asked curiously as they walked.<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>  “An alchemist.”</p><p>   Cassandra hadn’t heard the word before.</p><p>  “So… divination?”</p><p>  “No, I leave that to the chickens. I don’t do magic. I am married to science.”</p><p>  Cassandra again frowned, more things she didn’t really understand.<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>  “You Romans have weird names.”<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>  “No, I’m not literally married to somebody named Science… just… Ah! Look, the way the world works is dictated by rules, and I try to figure those rules out, like … seasons, and why things are certain colours.”</p><p> “Because they are. That’s stupid, I was told you were a secret weapon. Why would the Roman’s think you’re useful to them if all you do is think about seasons and colours?”</p><p>“Because I also make things explode, into big balls of green fire that can’t be put out with water.”</p><p>  “Okay, big balls of fire. That makes more sense.” Now she understood, whatever he said about not being a mage, and it not being magic, the result was the same, that their armies would be dealing with more than blades and arrows. She was glad now of her decision to take him as a sacrifice, a powerful man would please the gods. Though she might miss the start of the battle with her mission, she knew that what she was doing was for the greater good. There were different pathways to glory.</p><p>  “So it’s good that you’re not going to be at the battle.” Cassandra muttered.</p><p>  “Yes.”</p><p>  She paused, and he turned around, looking at her with those big blue eyes.<br/>
<br/>
</p><p> “Wait, you’re not meant to agree with me. Why wouldn’t you want to be in the battle?”</p><p><br/>
  “I don’t like hurting people.”<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>  “You’re a roman.”<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>   Varian gave an exaggerated sigh.</p><p>  “I know, I know, I’m not what I’m supposed to be.”</p><p>  “Keep walking.” She said indicating with her sword, he turned and walked.  “Why were you manacled? Are you a deserter?”</p><p>  “No, are you? I mean there’s meant to be a battle today and you’re in the woods with me heading away from the battlefield. OWW.”<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>  She’d hit him in the shin with the flat of her sword.</p><p>  “I’m on a special mission. I will make it back in time to spill some Roman blood.”</p><p>  She couldn’t miss how he blanched at her words, it seemed he really wasn’t a warrior.</p><p>  “Why do you hate us?” He said quietly as he stumbled forwards.</p><p>  “They killed my father, do you know what that’s like?”<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>  “I’m trying to keep from finding out.”<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>  “What’s that supposed to mean?<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>  “Th emperor heard of my talents and moved my father to the isle of Capri.”</p><p> </p><p>  “So?”<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>  “So, most people who go there don’t come back. The emperor gets mad at them and they fall off a cliffside.”<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>  “Oh.” Cassandra said, the information working its way into her mind. The situation wasn’t sitting well with her. She shook her head, she had to remember, he was a Roman, the enemy.</p><p> </p><p> “You chose to come here.” She said more to remind herself that he was an invader, he was the threat even if he looked like a child. Besides, they were almost at the bog.</p><p> </p><p>  “No, I was ordered here, nobody chooses to come to little island okay, it’s cold and it rains a lot, and the further up north you go the crazier the locals seem.”</p><p> </p><p>  “Why were you manacled?” She asked again.</p><p> </p><p>  “Because I’m a prisoner. I have to do what they order me to, or they’ll kill my father, but they threw in the manacles as a reminder. My turn to ask a question, where are you taking me?”<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>  “Well, why waste a good Roman?”<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>  “I won’t work for you.”<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>  “Oh, I know, but when I sacrifice you to our Gods over in the bog they will smile upon the upcoming battle.”</p><p><br/>
  “Okay… I have an opinion on this.” He stopped walking until she poked him in the back with her sword again.</p><p><br/>
  “Is it that you don’t want to die?”<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>  “Yes, that’s exactly what it is.”<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>  “It’s okay, I’ll make it quick, I’m not a barbarian.”</p><p> </p><p>  “Isn’t that exactly what you are?”<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>  She grabbed him by the shoulder and spun him around to face her, her sword raised, it rested just below his throat, almost touching his skin.</p><p>  “You’re the barbarians, you come into our lands and you try to force all of us to follow your laws, pay you taxes and prey to your gods!”</p><p> </p><p>  “Well… not me personally.” He said his hands raised defensively. “I didn’t want to come here, but Nero…well… he’s the Emperor and sometimes us lesser beings don’t understand why he does what he does. I mean, before he sent me here he got me to make him a collapsing boat, and I was like why would anybody want a collapsing boat?”</p><p>  “You talk too much.”</p><p>  “Yeah well, I’m a little nervous. It’s not like I’ve ever been kidnapped as a sacrifice to the gods before.”<br/>
 </p><p>  “You will walk in silence from now on.”</p><p>  He gave a stiff nod, and they continued through the forest for a few more minutes until they reached a slight clearing in the trees, the ground, green with moss opening up into a small pond of water.</p><p> “Kneel.” Cassandra said. Pointing to the edge of the pond. The boy was pale, but he had a certain air of dignity around him as he knelt on the soft moss. Cassandra raised her sword, she raised it slowly, taking the time to line it up, straight through the heart, a quick death. Except, her hands were shaking, and she was worried that they would slip. She’d never suffered from shaking hands before. She reached into her boot and took her dagger out instead. She gently took the boy by the chin, tilting his head back, baring his throat to her as she pressed her dagger to his skin. His eyes had been screwed up closed but as she tilted his head his eyes opened and he looked up at her. She was momentarily lost in the clear blue.</p><p>  He didn’t want to be there. He hadn’t chosen to invade, he was a prisoner. More than that, he was only working for them because they had his father. She could remember how her father had tried to work with the Roman’s, learnt the language, paid respects to their gods. They’d betrayed him, and as his daughter she should have inherited his lands and titles but the Roman’s had taken it all. She’d been left to fend for herself, luckily she had been taught the skills to do so. This boy, he should be the enemy, but as she looked into his eyes, all she saw was a son who was desperate to save his father. Somebody who had been used and taken advantage of, by the Romans. She sighed as she dropped her dagger. All she had promised to do was to see to it that the boy wasn’t at the battle, that his strange powers with fire weren’t used against her people. So much for glory, so much for the gods.</p><p>  Everything was still and silent for a moment, until the boy spoke.</p><p>  “So umm… It’s not that I want to rush you, far from it, but are we waiting on something?”</p><p>  She grabbed him under the arms and pulled him to his feet.</p><p>  “Let’s go.”<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>  “Oh, has your God gone to a different dirty pond today?”<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>  “No.” She said pushing him forwards, along the path that led away from the bog, and away from the battle.</p><p>   “So, have you decided not to kill me?”<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>  “Yes.”</p><p>  “Why?”<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>  “I don’t know.”<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>  “Devine epiphany?”<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>  “You talk too much.” She said annoyed.</p><p> </p><p>  “So uh… what’s the plan?”<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>  “The plan is to keep you hidden, from both sides, until all this is over.”<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>  “Well, what if these battles last for years?”<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>  “We keep heading north.”<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>  He walked besides her quietly, after a few minutes he started to talk again.</p><p>  “We might end up staying together for a while, we might as well get to know each other.”<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>  “I do not care to know a Roman.”<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>  “Well, I usually don’t care for barbarians, but you don’t seem so bad. I mean you haven’t killed me yet and you’re attractive for a barbarian.”<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>  She spun on him with her sword raised again.</p><p> “I might have said I’ll let you live, but you don’t need your tongue to live.”</p><p>  He backed away, but when she turned around he was quickly running behind her again, and still talking.<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>  “So uh… What’s your name? Or do I keep calling you barbarian?”<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>  “It’s Cassandra.”<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>  “Oh, from the Iliad, I always thought celts couldn’t read.”<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>  “What’s the Iliad?”<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>  “Nevermind then. Well, then Cassandra, I’m Varian, thank you for going against your barbarian nature and not killing me.”<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>  “Don’t make me regret it.” Cassandra said rolling her eyes.</p><p>  “You know this might actually be the start of a great friendship.”</p><p>  “Celts and Roman’s will never be friends.”<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>  “That’s what every other people we civilised said too.”<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>  “Civilised? You mean invaded and killed until they agreed to live by your standards?”<br/>
 </p><p>  “Yes, that seems like a fair explanation of the word civilised to me.”</p><p>  Cassandra rolled her eyes again, yep, she thought to herself. Already regretting it.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Okay, I do realize that the summary of this story is basically<br/>Cassandra : "I'm going to kill you."<br/>I'm going to kill you."<br/>I'm going to kill you."<br/>"I'm not going to kill you."<br/>Varian : "Yay! I made a few friend!"</p></blockquote></div></div>
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